Preparing for the end of the world as we know it is an understandably daunting task, especially for a beginning prepper. The path to securing yourself and your family should ultimately end in a self-sufficient rural retreat, but there are many steps down that path. It is easy in the beginning stages of your preparation to feel discouraged by the shear size of the task in front of you. The amount of information to be taken in, the sudden awareness s of your vulnerable present condition, the list of tools you never knew you needed, and the anticipated financial and sweat equity costs are enough to shock some beginners into abandoning the task all together. Understanding preparation in a more easily digestible form is a key toward creating a successful preparedness plan. This article will discuss the proper mindset as well as the initial steps necessary for the beginning prepper.
The social, political, and psychological themes encountered in TEOTWAWKI strike a chord with many individuals in a society which has become so technologically dependent, so economically interconnected, and so highly specialized. For the average suburbanite who can’t fix his own car, doesn’t grow his own food, and has never experience “hunger” greater than skipping lunch during a hectic day at the office the breakdown of civil society is hard to conceptualize in anything more than an abstract way. I’ve always been interested in end of the world scenarios, whether in movies, television, books or video games. However, like so many Americans actually moving toward self sufficiency was not a chief concern. After getting married and settling in to law school I started go give more serious thought to my own preparedness for a disaster situation. Maybe it was just a symptom of “growing up” or perhaps being married focused me more intently on the need to provided for and to defend my family, but in either case I began to take stock of my readiness level and make a plan for improving it. I went to web site after web site and read as many survival books as I could get my hands on. It became quickly apparent that my level of readiness was pathetic.
I had the food in my kitchen cabinets, a .22 rifle and a .22 pistol (each with only a box or so of ammunition), a hatchet that I used for yard work, an extra five gallon can of gasoline which was of course only half full, some flashlights, and some old boots. This was all the stood between my family’s safety and disaster if a TEOTWAWKI scenario unfolded. Comparing my own pathetic state to the level of preparedness described in many of the books I read, I was even more discouraged. I couldn’t help but feel like I needed to go from average guy to hardcore survivalist over night. I felt like I needed to do so many things to get ready, things that seemed impossible: move my family to a wilderness retreat, learn a lifetime of survival skills, buy thousands of dollars of new equipment. After the initial panic I marshaled myself and began to analyze the situation more clearly. Like any major effort, becoming prepared would be a process with both long term and short term goals. Rather than buying piece meal the items I needed to survive a long term disaster, it made more sense to me to start with a hierarchy of disaster scenarios and prepare for each in order.
First on my list was a break in or home invasion scenario. This seemed the most probable both because of the area in which I live, a few miles from a large city, the current economic climate, and the possibility of this scenario even outside any systemic breakdown. I began by inspecting and performing routine maintenance on the locks of both my doors and windows. My home has an alarm system, so I called the provided and ran a series of tests t o insure it was functioning properly. I also check into how the system actually functioned. Like most alarm systems it simply sends a signal along the phone line, making it easy enough for a burglar to either cut the phone line or knock out power and enter more easily. I decided to create a second level of low tech security. I purchased several sets of large sleigh bells at an after Christmas sale, these not hang from interior doorknobs to provide extra noise when doors are opened and close. I also purchase small wedge alarms that activate a battery operated siren when the door makes contact with them. These are also placed behind each door, acting not only as a door stop but an added alarm. I finished off my low tech system with some standard door bars; they rest underneath the door knob and prevent the door from being pushed open. I also added security lights on both sides and the back of my home. The lights are controlled from a panel in my bedroom for easy activation when something goes bump in the night. While the system isn’t foolproof it is much more secure than it was before I started and all with relatively minimal effort.
In addition to preparing my house for the break-in or home invasion scenario I recognized the need to prepare myself. I purchased a new 9mm handgun and a shotgun. While I had been advised by many to get a .45 for stopping power, the Walther P99 I purchased fit well into my hand and for me was both easy and comfortable to shoot. The gun was placed in my dresser drawer and the shotgun in a closet opposite the bed. Given the layout of my bedroom it made sense to retreat into the closet if necessary and this made the shotgun placement seem sensible. I also purchased 500 rounds of ammunition for each of my guns, a sufficient stockpile which allowed me to go to the shooting range when I had free time while still keeping good quantity on hand in between replenishments.
I also recognized that having guns didn’t mean I knew how to use them, and so I enrolled myself in an urban environment shooting class. I had basic guns skill, but the class taught me about moving and shooting, shooting indoors including tactical movement, and shooting from common positions like the driver’s position in a vehicle. The cost of the course was a few hundred dollars, but provided me with a wealth of confidence in my ability to react to the break-in or home invasion scenario. With one scenario off the list I could already sleep better at night, and despite the distance still to go on my road to preparedness, the first step was done.
Next on my list was a natural disaster scenario with short term (one to two weeks) power loss. Having grown up in southern West Virginia, I recognize that in rural areas even a bad storm could knock out power for a couple weeks, suburban areas of large cities might get a faster response, but if the disaster were of sufficient size the delay in repairs could well drag into weeks just like it would in the hollers back home. My first step was to secure a one month supply of food and water for myself, my wife, and our puppy. These items constituted the beginning of our larder and were simple items purchase in bulk from Sam’s Club. I dedicated a closet in the spare bedroom to the storage of these items. I felt the basement was too prone to dampness and the attic to prone to high temperatures. I started with flour, rice, pinto beans, canned tuna, sugar, salt, cooking oil, and powdered milk. Our water supply consisted of a large stockpile of liter water bottles. We also purchased extra food for our puppy and stored it in the same area. My wife and I made a decision to augment this one month supply with new items at each trip to the grocery store. Some of our first acquisitions included a stockpile of feminine products, toilet paper, and paper plates an d napkins. These items all promised to make sanitation easier in a disaster crunch. The purchase of a couple boxes of extra large contractor trash bags rounded out this effort.
Next I started on items which would be needed in the natural disaster scenario, I purchased a good radio. I wanted the most power options possible including a hand crank, solar, batteries, and DC power. I also wanted the radio to cover the greatest spectrum of bands including the weather alert band. After the radio I procured some extra flashlights and batteries. Following the advice of a one book I got some brightly colored duct tape and wrapped the handle of each flashlight for easy location. I also set aside an emergency stock of candles in a small bin with some lighters, matches, and empty coffee cans (to be used as candle holders). My next concern was for heat and fuel. I stocked up on gasoline in safety containers and stored this in the area of my basement at the farthest end from the bedrooms and away from any possible ignition sources. I also bought extra propane for my grill and extra oil for my Tiki Torch type lamps. We have a fire pit, and so I ordered two extra loads of wood and created tarp covered storage bins in my back yard to hold the stockpile. When acquiring new items I tired to focus on things that my family would use regardless of a disaster scenario. Stocking up just meant having extra on hand for when we needed it.
In finishing off my natural disaster efforts, I turned back to making my home secure. While my alarm system had carbon monoxide and smoke detectors built in, this wouldn’ t do me any good with the power down. I obtained stand alone units. I also purchased several more fire extinguishers and place them at strategic locations. My intention was to be able to manage a fire on my own should emergency services be tied up with a large scale disaster situation. While there is certainly a lot more that could be done, with food, water, lighting, and heating secured I felt okay about my chances in a short to natural disaster scenario.
I was feeling a lot better about the security and sustainability of my home in a short term disaster scenario, but now I needed to make sure my wife and I could get back to the house in an emergency. I was ready to take on the task of creating bug out bags to keep in our cars and at work. The bags were surplus swat responder bags with plenty of extra pockets and heavy duty zippers. The initial contents included changes of clothes and boots as my wife and I both have to wear dress clothe s to work. I also got heavy duty leather gloves and a set of protective goggles for each back. Next came water and food, 4 liters of water and 8-10 protein bars. I then added items for fire creation, including standard matches and lighters and a magnesium strip sparker. I purchased a gas mask for each bag. While the gas masks might violate the normal rule for things my family will use anyway, it seemed like a better to be safe than sorry type item. Flashlight and extra batteries, a multi-tool, and a first aid kits were also included. Each kit also contained a tarp for shelter as well as parachute cord and tarp clips.
The final items considered the possibility of a shelter in place scenario with biological components to the threat. I got several layers of plastic sheeting, duct tape, and bright orange spray paint. The tape and plastic to block air flow in a shelter area and the spray paint to make the position on an office or car window to get emergency personnel’s attention. These were the first version bug out bags we created, and they have since been augmented with items like extra ammo (we both got our concealed carry permits) and a small hatchet. We also make a concerted effort to keep the gas tanks for the car full, and this combined with the bag contents increases our changes of making it home if things go bad.
I am currently working on the next phase of preparedness, getting the home ready for a longer term survival situation. My wife and I have stocked up on seeds and have planted gardens for the la st two summers. We are increasing our food and water supplies to deepen our larder as it were. I purchased items necessary to seal off the house including plastic sheeting, plywood, nails and the like. Our next big purchase will hopefully be a water filter .
Many readers will probably look at our current level of preparedness and feel it is inadequate, I agree. Other might questions the preparedness decisions I have made or the order in which I put my priorities above, that’s probably fair as well. The main point I hope to get across is not necessarily the specific plan for preparing, but the more general attitude necessary for a new prepper. With each new phase of preparation I am increasing my odds of survival and making my family safer. It’s obviously a long road, and even seasoned veterans still have to maintain their training a preparation. My hope is that readers who are just getting into prepping or who have considered the scenarios but haven’t taken action can appreciate this approach and implement it with success to overcome their initial anxiety. Good luck to you all and God bless in your efforts!